Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus, systems and methods for sensing or measuring chemical components or constituents (analytes) in the breath of a patient or “user,” and more specifically to breath analysis devices that comprise or are incorporated into a wearable device.
Description of the Related Art
The importance or benefits of measuring the presence or concentration of chemical constituents in the body (analytes) to aid in assessing a person's physiological or pathophysiological state is well known. Conventional approaches to chemically-based diagnostic screening and analysis for blood gases involve blood tests and urine tests. Blood tests generally require that blood be drawn and chemically tested, typically in a lab. Urine tests involve similar drawbacks. A urine sample must be collected and tested, again, typically in a lab.
The use of breath as a source of chemical analysis can overcome many of these drawbacks. The breath sample can be quickly and easily collected, and modern breath analysis devices commonly are small portable devices that can analyze the sample for the target analyte in only minutes.
Many of the currently available breath analysis devices require some level of manual operation. They typically require test set up steps, such as powering up the device, installing a mouthpiece, etc. Most if not all require manual selection (with hand or finger) of Start command to initiate the analyte measurement test. After the test is completed, the results typically are displayed on a display window.